What do you think?
Rate this book
The Memory Book
They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.
Sammie was always a girl with a plan: graduate at the top of her class and get out of her small town as soon as humanly possible. Nothing will stand in her way--not even a rare genetic disorder the doctors say will slowly start to steal her memories and then her health. What she needs is a new plan.
So the Memory Book is born: Sammie's notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. It's where she'll record every perfect detail of her first date with longtime crush, Stuart--a brilliant young writer who is home for the summer. And where she'll admit how much she's missed her childhood best friend, Cooper, and even take some of the blame for the fight that ended their friendship.
Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.
Sammie was always a girl with a plan: graduate at the top of her class and get out of her small town as soon as humanly possible. Nothing will stand in her way--not even a rare genetic disorder the doctors say will slowly start to steal her memories and then her health. What she needs is a new plan.
So the Memory Book is born: Sammie's notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. It's where she'll record every perfect detail of her first date with longtime crush, Stuart--a brilliant young writer who is home for the summer. And where she'll admit how much she's missed her childhood best friend, Cooper, and even take some of the blame for the fight that ended their friendship.
Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,680 reviews
March 6, 2019
If you're reading this, you're probably wondering who you are...
You are me, Samantha Agatha McCoy, in the not-so-distant future. I'm writing his for you. They say my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.
Niemann-Pick C (NPC), a rare genetic disorder that can affect cognition, motor function, memory and metabolism is at the heart of The Memory Book but it is Sammie's personal journey that will capture you and remain with you long after you have turned the last page of this book.
When we first meet Samantha (Sammie) she has BIG plans. Plans to win her debate Nationals. Plans to give an amazing Valedictorian speech, and most importantly - plans to move to NYC and attend NYU. But her NPC condition takes a turn for the worse (sooner than she expected) and we begin to see her deteriorate with each page. The story is told through us reading her "memory book"entries. Sammie began her memory book as a means to hold onto her life. When she has a memory episode, she reads back recent entries for a clue as to where she was, what she was doing, etc. This format gives us a unique peek into her feelings, memories and day to day life. What really resonated with me was the fact that she was so young, so full of hopes & dreams and optimism. Lara Avery did an amazing job capturing her journey and how NPC changed her both at her core and outwardly via her symptoms.
There were entries in the Memory Book that made me so sad. They made Sammie's "episodes" feel so real to me as the reader. I could feel her confusion, anxiety and loss. You can clearly see how the entries change from the ones written by the confident Sammie we met in the beginning of the book to the Sammie towards the end.
There were also some wonderful secondary characters in this book. Sammie's entire family (her siblings were so vivid & unique), Stuart (her longtime crush) and Cooper (her childhood BFF & neighbor). Oh how I adored Cooper!
There was a bit of a (minor) love triangle. In my opinion, it really made sense within the story and fit in with the overall development of some of the major characters. Due to Sammie's illness, feelings & the expression of feelings were definitely more pronounced/overt with the very real sense of "running out of time".
Overall, this was a fairly quick, emotional & worth your time read.
You are me, Samantha Agatha McCoy, in the not-so-distant future. I'm writing his for you. They say my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.
Niemann-Pick C (NPC), a rare genetic disorder that can affect cognition, motor function, memory and metabolism is at the heart of The Memory Book but it is Sammie's personal journey that will capture you and remain with you long after you have turned the last page of this book.
When we first meet Samantha (Sammie) she has BIG plans. Plans to win her debate Nationals. Plans to give an amazing Valedictorian speech, and most importantly - plans to move to NYC and attend NYU. But her NPC condition takes a turn for the worse (sooner than she expected) and we begin to see her deteriorate with each page. The story is told through us reading her "memory book"entries. Sammie began her memory book as a means to hold onto her life. When she has a memory episode, she reads back recent entries for a clue as to where she was, what she was doing, etc. This format gives us a unique peek into her feelings, memories and day to day life. What really resonated with me was the fact that she was so young, so full of hopes & dreams and optimism. Lara Avery did an amazing job capturing her journey and how NPC changed her both at her core and outwardly via her symptoms.
There were entries in the Memory Book that made me so sad. They made Sammie's "episodes" feel so real to me as the reader. I could feel her confusion, anxiety and loss. You can clearly see how the entries change from the ones written by the confident Sammie we met in the beginning of the book to the Sammie towards the end.
There were also some wonderful secondary characters in this book. Sammie's entire family (her siblings were so vivid & unique), Stuart (her longtime crush) and Cooper (her childhood BFF & neighbor). Oh how I adored Cooper!
There was a bit of a (minor) love triangle. In my opinion, it really made sense within the story and fit in with the overall development of some of the major characters. Due to Sammie's illness, feelings & the expression of feelings were definitely more pronounced/overt with the very real sense of "running out of time".
Overall, this was a fairly quick, emotional & worth your time read.
April 11, 2017
I'm not okay.I just want to sit somewhere and cry for few hours :'(
September 7, 2016
It's 2:30AM and I just finished reading this...*sniffles* And yes I'm tearing.. What a beautifully written book with such loud and interesting characters. Not only is there emphasis on the romance, but there's friendship and family.. And good Lord the letters at the end just made me cry. I loved Sammie. I love her ambition and her drive and her passion to not let this disease take over. Such a great message to everyone.. I'm going to recommend this to everyone and their mother. AHHH <3
-------
Sammie has a rare genetic disorder that will rob her memories so she comes up with the memory book where she writes down everything that has happened to her. She constantly writes to her future self wherever she goes. Sammie is determined to keep her life as is. To graduate as valedictorian and to go to college.
Sammie starts off as any ambitious hard worker and I love that she tries so hard to be perfect but we all know that won't last long. She is also socially awkward and I too love that she had some weaknesses. She could be a little judgemental at times:
"I knew she didn't do it on purpose, but girls like her made me feel like garbage. Like, what's even the point with girls like her around."
Especially with what she said about Cooper to Stuart. I was a little shocked she would do such a thing but obviously she made a mistake. And she keeps making mistakes because this is what a teenager does. Stuart and Cooper were great love interests and I was cheering for both. There is a love triangle but it's so well done, that I didn't mind at all. I love that her family and friends are all a big part of her life. I love that there's a focus on them as well. Her siblings are just too adorable. Her parents are concerned but sweet. I loved how Sammie handles herself. She's so wise! I love how ambitious she is and so driven to succeed. It's a great thing to see in a teen book. She's not perfect. There are instances where she messes up and you still love her all the same. There are also sad bits in it, so I have to warn you that with the laughter, some tears will be shed for this book. I know I pretty much lost it with those letters. Lara Avery does a wonderful job showing her decline but it's also so hard for the reader to see it happening. She knows how to write such well-developed characters that you will love and I kid you not, I'm still all teary just thinking about it.
One thing that always bothers me is that the POC and the lesbian were shoved aside as secondary characters. I might be nitpicking here as well because Sammie is written as having curly hair and glasses. There is no indication of that on the cover, just another Caucasian model. If one wants to include diversity, show it on the cover and within your main cast of characters. Sorry for getting off tangent there.
A remarkable heart-felt story that will have you crying and laughing all at the same time, The Memory Book is one underrated book of the year.
RATING 4/5
QUOTES
We were just space rocks bouncing off each other temporarily in this strange little Upper Valley void, but our trajectories were still separate.
Sometimes life is really terrible. Sometimes life gives you a weird disease. Sometimes life is really good, but never in a simple sort of way.
Maybe we depend too much on other people for what we think of as success. Like, maybe we share too much. Maybe that's why good things lose their good feeling because we give it all away.
I was going for my own goals.
I'm sort of a sponge. I have a few strong opinions, but they might change. I just want to find out everything I can.
What about all the moments that surround the good things? If you can only remember your aspirations, you will have no idea how you got from point A to point B.
Life is not just a series of triumphs.
Do them because they're good things to do. Do them just for the sake of doing them.
All strong women are allies, and if I can't run the world, you should, and you should know I'm behind you.
I've lived with you right now and those right nows are everywhere, every time, in my house, in your house, on the mountain. I love you. Home is where love is. You're my home.
September 27, 2016
UNA NOVELA QUE EMOCIONA Y LLEGA MUY ADENTRO
Kit de supervivencia para mi futuro yo es una novela contemporánea bastante interesante y con un planteamiento duro pero que está muy bien tratado. Personalmente me ha sorprendido para bien en muchos aspectos y creo que es una novela que está muy bien escrita muy bien desarrollada y que llega fácilmente al lector. El lector se mete por completo la historia y la historia se mete dentro de él de una manera increíble.
La novela nos cuenta una historia bastante dramática sobre todo por el hecho de que la protagonista tiene una enfermedad degenerativa.
La línea de la trama se sigue muy bien y es bastante interesante. Empieza de manera fuerte y desde el primer momento ya el lector tiene interés en saber cómo continúa la historia puesto que Samantha es una protagonista con una voz fuerte.
Además juega muy a favor de la novela el hecho de que está contada como una especie de diario. Empieza diciendo que va a contarlo todo en pasado y que se va a dirigir a sí misma en futuro de vez en cuando porque ella parece una enfermedad degenerativa que la hará perder la memoria.
La historia está contada en primera persona en pasado y de vez en cuando se manda saludos a sí misma. Además es una protagonista con una voz muy interesante porque tiene un sentido del humor muy gracioso y hace unos comentarios irónicos todo el tiempo que mantienen al lector con una sonrisa en la cara.
Por otro lado los personajes tienen una evolución muy positiva. Samantha es un personaje que crece y evoluciona a lo largo de la novela, y que hace que el lector la conozca poco a poco. Además, tiene un final bastante justo y la manera en la que está narrada su muerte es bastante emotiva porque al final lo que hay son las cartas que escriben su familia y su pareja ella cuando se está muriendo y después de morirse. Personalmente me ha tocado mucho la fibra sensible, me ha hecho llorar, me ha emocionado y me he metido por completo en la piel de los personajes.
Hay dos personajes bastante interesantes: Coop y Stuart. Tienen una evolución interesante, una caracterización fuerte y ciertos giros que el lector no se espera.
La novela en general está muy bien, es muy buena para el género en el que está y es muy emocionante.
Kit de supervivencia para mi futuro yo es una novela contemporánea bastante interesante y con un planteamiento duro pero que está muy bien tratado. Personalmente me ha sorprendido para bien en muchos aspectos y creo que es una novela que está muy bien escrita muy bien desarrollada y que llega fácilmente al lector. El lector se mete por completo la historia y la historia se mete dentro de él de una manera increíble.
La novela nos cuenta una historia bastante dramática sobre todo por el hecho de que la protagonista tiene una enfermedad degenerativa.
La línea de la trama se sigue muy bien y es bastante interesante. Empieza de manera fuerte y desde el primer momento ya el lector tiene interés en saber cómo continúa la historia puesto que Samantha es una protagonista con una voz fuerte.
Además juega muy a favor de la novela el hecho de que está contada como una especie de diario. Empieza diciendo que va a contarlo todo en pasado y que se va a dirigir a sí misma en futuro de vez en cuando porque ella parece una enfermedad degenerativa que la hará perder la memoria.
La historia está contada en primera persona en pasado y de vez en cuando se manda saludos a sí misma. Además es una protagonista con una voz muy interesante porque tiene un sentido del humor muy gracioso y hace unos comentarios irónicos todo el tiempo que mantienen al lector con una sonrisa en la cara.
Por otro lado los personajes tienen una evolución muy positiva. Samantha es un personaje que crece y evoluciona a lo largo de la novela, y que hace que el lector la conozca poco a poco. Además, tiene un final bastante justo y la manera en la que está narrada su muerte es bastante emotiva porque al final lo que hay son las cartas que escriben su familia y su pareja ella cuando se está muriendo y después de morirse. Personalmente me ha tocado mucho la fibra sensible, me ha hecho llorar, me ha emocionado y me he metido por completo en la piel de los personajes.
Hay dos personajes bastante interesantes: Coop y Stuart. Tienen una evolución interesante, una caracterización fuerte y ciertos giros que el lector no se espera.
La novela en general está muy bien, es muy buena para el género en el que está y es muy emocionante.
December 27, 2017
La sinopsis prometía mucho y mis expectativas eran altas y es lamentable el decir que no las cumplió.
La historia no es mala pero a mi parecer hubo algunos elementos que no funcionaron, se centró de más en el romance y en un dos por tres llegamos a un final que literal fue de una hoja a otra. Me faltó material por leer. Pudo haber explorado mejor el concepto que era muy bueno, los primeros capítulos sí atrapan pero más allá de la mitad comienza a decaer en divagaciones que lograron perder el hilo por completo, además de irse por el recurso sentimentaloide al no conseguir que los personajes te atraparan por sí mismos.
Esperaba más, mucho más.
La historia no es mala pero a mi parecer hubo algunos elementos que no funcionaron, se centró de más en el romance y en un dos por tres llegamos a un final que literal fue de una hoja a otra. Me faltó material por leer. Pudo haber explorado mejor el concepto que era muy bueno, los primeros capítulos sí atrapan pero más allá de la mitad comienza a decaer en divagaciones que lograron perder el hilo por completo, además de irse por el recurso sentimentaloide al no conseguir que los personajes te atraparan por sí mismos.
Esperaba más, mucho más.
September 23, 2016
Книгата наистина успя да ме докосне. Накара ме да се замисля, натъжа, но и много се забавлявах, докато прелиствах страниците. Стилът на авторката е лек и приятен, разтоварващ и проникновен. Последната страница (колкото и да е кратка) я прочетох няколко пъти подред, защото исках да съм сигурна, че съм я запомнила. Защо трябваше да я прочета толкова бързо? Защо?!
September 4, 2019
One of the best character driven books I’ve read, The Memory Book is about a character who seems confidently able to voice out those crazy thoughts that an average person usually just says in her head, who’s constantly hilarious, highly intelligent, self-deprecating and always positive to a fault. That’s Samantha Agatha Mc Coy (even though she was never coy and had no understanding of small talk and social cues).
“This is why I don’t make friends easily. Small talk, among many other things, makes me want to punch a hole in the wall.”
…and I have fallen in love with her character. Instead of succumbing to her sickness, (Niemann-Pick Type C, a kind of illness that causes dementia among many other symptoms), she concocts action plans, charts, motivational diagrams to plan for her future.
“What are people who are completely screwed supposed to do? Look forlornly out the window? I’m not good at the feelingsy things. Let’s move on.”
Girl doesn’t know the concept of giving up or even just taking a break and because her memory has been her super human power and the organ that has made her into the supposed genius that she is, she resolved to do everything she could to hold on to what she thought was the best part of her through her “Memory Book” where she writes to her future self.
I was just savoring the unique narrative and the creative journal entries, I even had to control myself from reading so fast because I wanted the story so much to last that I didn’t realize the sickness was slowly creeping in on Sammie as evident in her latter entries and it smashed my heart to pieces as much as it did her family and friends to see her shed layers of herself and yet they (her family and friends) prove (especially Cooper, my love) that Sammie’s best part isn’t just her memory, it’s her everything, her character, her love, her light, her confidence and compassion that make up who she is. And soon my incessant laughter during the first two-thirds of the book has been replaced with abandoned sobbing. Oh gawd!
This book is beautiful, honestly hilarious, so inspiring and utterly heart shattering. I’m not sure if I’ll get over it. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year.
October 11, 2016
I honestly think the problem with this book is that I'm too damned old for it. I can tell already that the teenagers I work with will EAT THIS UP AND SOB OVER IT FOREVER. Meanwhile, I'm a grumpy old lady, waving her walking stick at the damned kids on her lawn.
Frankly, I liked the secondary characters much more than the primary ones. Sam takes risks with her own life and the lives of others. Like...her parents are all "dude, don't go anywhere without a first responder". She has a condition that makes her forget things. What does she do? She goes out for a drive. By herself. Because operating a motor vehicle when you could have a seizure or an attack where you forget where you're going or who you are or, like, HOW TO DRIVE is a fucking terrible idea.
I wanted to like Sam, I really did. But I just didn't. Yes, she was funny at times. Yes, she was unapologetically nerdy. Yes, I appreciated that she didn't want people to be all "OMG YOU'RE FORGETTING EVERYTHING????" about her and therefore she kept her illness to herself a lot of the time. But oof. Dude. Stop making bad decisions that could injure other people. Stop thinking you can continue your normal life. Stop pushing your family away just because they'd prefer you not to, you know, wander into traffic.
Stuart...was a pretentious dick as far as I was concerned. Yes, it was cute having Sam discover that her crush of several years is crushing on her too. But I just...nope.
In contrast, Coop and Maddie were fabulous characters and I wanted more of them and less Sam. Which, frankly, is a little awkward.
I think ultimately, I had two big problems with this:
1. Sam's final descent seemed to be REALLY fast; and
2. The romance side of things made me...uncomfortable.
So yeah. I wanted to really like this. But not so much.
ETA: This book was clearly designed to give you All The Feels. I had, like, a half a feel, and that was reading the messages from Sam's family at the end. So. #TeamHeartlessCow
Frankly, I liked the secondary characters much more than the primary ones. Sam takes risks with her own life and the lives of others. Like...her parents are all "dude, don't go anywhere without a first responder". She has a condition that makes her forget things. What does she do? She goes out for a drive. By herself. Because operating a motor vehicle when you could have a seizure or an attack where you forget where you're going or who you are or, like, HOW TO DRIVE is a fucking terrible idea.
I wanted to like Sam, I really did. But I just didn't. Yes, she was funny at times. Yes, she was unapologetically nerdy. Yes, I appreciated that she didn't want people to be all "OMG YOU'RE FORGETTING EVERYTHING????" about her and therefore she kept her illness to herself a lot of the time. But oof. Dude. Stop making bad decisions that could injure other people. Stop thinking you can continue your normal life. Stop pushing your family away just because they'd prefer you not to, you know, wander into traffic.
Stuart...was a pretentious dick as far as I was concerned. Yes, it was cute having Sam discover that her crush of several years is crushing on her too. But I just...nope.
In contrast, Coop and Maddie were fabulous characters and I wanted more of them and less Sam. Which, frankly, is a little awkward.
I think ultimately, I had two big problems with this:
1. Sam's final descent seemed to be REALLY fast; and
2. The romance side of things made me...uncomfortable.
So yeah. I wanted to really like this. But not so much.
ETA: This book was clearly designed to give you All The Feels. I had, like, a half a feel, and that was reading the messages from Sam's family at the end. So. #TeamHeartlessCow
July 4, 2016
** 4.5 stars **
Dear Lara Avery,
thanks for breaking my heart.
Sincerely, Patty
-------------------------
I have so many emotions/feelings/whatever going through my mind.
I finished The Memory Book late last night, and after I got over crying for a good solid hour (okay, so it was more like 2-3) I was filled with anger? No, no. Not the right word. Maybe frustration would be a better word? Yep. We'll go with that for the time being. I was frustrated with myself because I wasn't emotional prepared for this. I know, I know. It's not realistic but I didn't expect to be so emotional invested and now, I don't know what to do with myself. Sigh.
Full review to be posted tomorrow
Dear Lara Avery,
thanks for breaking my heart.
Sincerely, Patty
-------------------------
I have so many emotions/feelings/whatever going through my mind.
I finished The Memory Book late last night, and after I got over crying for a good solid hour (okay, so it was more like 2-3) I was filled with anger? No, no. Not the right word. Maybe frustration would be a better word? Yep. We'll go with that for the time being. I was frustrated with myself because I wasn't emotional prepared for this. I know, I know. It's not realistic but I didn't expect to be so emotional invested and now, I don't know what to do with myself. Sigh.
Full review to be posted tomorrow
June 19, 2016
This is 100% not the type of book I would normally request. Angsty times are okay in very small and short doses, but there was something about that synopsis that intrigued me.
I loved Sammie. I loved how smart she was and how she determined to deal with the disease. Her family was awesome and I adored her parents.
This subject is a little {a lot} heartbreaking and how it was handled with the journal entries was just about perfection. The chapters without titles and wonky spelling/wording were so effective in showing how Sammie was progressing. And man, that last chapter gutted me.
Overall, it was devastating and hopeful and maybe a little profound. I'm so happy I took a chance and read something out of my comfort zone.
**Huge thanks to Poppy and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I loved Sammie. I loved how smart she was and how she determined to deal with the disease. Her family was awesome and I adored her parents.
This subject is a little {a lot} heartbreaking and how it was handled with the journal entries was just about perfection. The chapters without titles and wonky spelling/wording were so effective in showing how Sammie was progressing. And man, that last chapter gutted me.
Overall, it was devastating and hopeful and maybe a little profound. I'm so happy I took a chance and read something out of my comfort zone.
**Huge thanks to Poppy and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
October 28, 2020
През цялото време се възхищавах на Саманта и волята ѝ за живот. Появата на Стюарт и Куп в живота ѝ ѝ повлия добре. Уви, не очаквах такъв край. Някак си все ми се искаше да е различен.
December 27, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Oh, what a happy day when a book gets one out of one’s reading slump! Do you ever pick up a book and just know from the first page that you’re going to likely fall in love? Yeah, that was me and The Memory Book. Sammie just jumped out at me from the start, and I knew that I was all in. Her character jumped right off the page, and I was enamored with her immediately. And I stayed that way until the end.
Sammie's story is obviously not rainbows and sunshine. Nor is it all doom and gloom either- it's just life. And even though Sammie has been dealt a really lousy hand, she's still a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. She's navigating relationships, and the end of high school, and family stuff, all while being told "hey, you probably aren't going to remember you anymore". It is incredibly moving in that respect alone, but I adored Sammie so much that it made her journey so much more meaningful to read.
A few more things I loved about this book? Why not!
• Sammie's family is hugely involved in her life- and not just because of the disease. No, they were in it long before that, this just makes their importance in her life much more apparent. Her relationship with her mother especially jumped out at me, as it warmed my heart, but her dad and her siblings were also fabulous characters. The way Sammie hopes and dreams for them... well, I am tearing up again.
• I loved the journal-style! And I really loved that Sammie wrote it in a .doc file, because let's be real, it was so relatable. And while it was certainly character-driven, as you'd expect, the story never dragged.
• The writing is incredible. I don't want to give too much away, but there were these subtleties within the writing that coincided with the events in the book and it just kind of blew me away. If you've read it...
• There is some romance. And it's messy and confusing, and not one of those tropey "oh you're sick so we'll pretend everything is perfect" kind of things. And I won't say anything else about that, for reasons.
Bottom Line: Sammie and her story captured my heart completely. She is an offbeat, sweet character who is not perfect, and whose life won't be taking the path she always assumed it would. The Memory Book is about life and love, acceptance and perseverance, and it is undoubtedly a story I won't forget.
A side note: I didn't want to bring this up, because frankly, I have no knowledge to speak of this. But alas, I got a comment on Goodreads about the book and its depiction of Niemann Pick Type C, which is what Sammie has in The Memory Book. It was from a woman named Debbie whose daughter has this awful condition. My heart broke for her, because no one should have to face this- not this mother, not her family, and certainly not her daughter. And as a mother who has absolutely spoken out about her own son's genetic disorder portrayal, I understand where she is coming from. Or at least, I understand somewhat, as I cannot even imagine what fighting her particular battle must be like- and I think it takes a ton of courage to speak up and start this dialogue.
That said, I felt like perhaps it is a bit unfair to say that the author downplayed the severity of the disease. In my (admittedly unprofessional) research, every medical site I read indicates that Niemann–Pick type C has a wide clinical spectrum- in prognosis, in diagnosis age, and in regards to symptoms in general. I also think it is hard to present every facet of a disease in the short pages of a novel. My point is that there doesn't seem to be a "one size fits all", and I encourage you to check out the site that was provided to me. There are stories, as well as links to family's stories and professional resources. I feel like the best thing to do in a situation like this is to educate ourselves, and I certainly intend to. Sammie's story touched my heart, and so now does Debbie and Rachael's.
What was the last great book that you read that got you out of a slump? And of course, we must talk if you have read this one!
Oh, what a happy day when a book gets one out of one’s reading slump! Do you ever pick up a book and just know from the first page that you’re going to likely fall in love? Yeah, that was me and The Memory Book. Sammie just jumped out at me from the start, and I knew that I was all in. Her character jumped right off the page, and I was enamored with her immediately. And I stayed that way until the end.
Sammie's story is obviously not rainbows and sunshine. Nor is it all doom and gloom either- it's just life. And even though Sammie has been dealt a really lousy hand, she's still a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. She's navigating relationships, and the end of high school, and family stuff, all while being told "hey, you probably aren't going to remember you anymore". It is incredibly moving in that respect alone, but I adored Sammie so much that it made her journey so much more meaningful to read.
A few more things I loved about this book? Why not!
• Sammie's family is hugely involved in her life- and not just because of the disease. No, they were in it long before that, this just makes their importance in her life much more apparent. Her relationship with her mother especially jumped out at me, as it warmed my heart, but her dad and her siblings were also fabulous characters. The way Sammie hopes and dreams for them... well, I am tearing up again.
• I loved the journal-style! And I really loved that Sammie wrote it in a .doc file, because let's be real, it was so relatable. And while it was certainly character-driven, as you'd expect, the story never dragged.
• The writing is incredible. I don't want to give too much away, but there were these subtleties within the writing that coincided with the events in the book and it just kind of blew me away. If you've read it...
• There is some romance. And it's messy and confusing, and not one of those tropey "oh you're sick so we'll pretend everything is perfect" kind of things. And I won't say anything else about that, for reasons.
Bottom Line: Sammie and her story captured my heart completely. She is an offbeat, sweet character who is not perfect, and whose life won't be taking the path she always assumed it would. The Memory Book is about life and love, acceptance and perseverance, and it is undoubtedly a story I won't forget.
A side note: I didn't want to bring this up, because frankly, I have no knowledge to speak of this. But alas, I got a comment on Goodreads about the book and its depiction of Niemann Pick Type C, which is what Sammie has in The Memory Book. It was from a woman named Debbie whose daughter has this awful condition. My heart broke for her, because no one should have to face this- not this mother, not her family, and certainly not her daughter. And as a mother who has absolutely spoken out about her own son's genetic disorder portrayal, I understand where she is coming from. Or at least, I understand somewhat, as I cannot even imagine what fighting her particular battle must be like- and I think it takes a ton of courage to speak up and start this dialogue.
That said, I felt like perhaps it is a bit unfair to say that the author downplayed the severity of the disease. In my (admittedly unprofessional) research, every medical site I read indicates that Niemann–Pick type C has a wide clinical spectrum- in prognosis, in diagnosis age, and in regards to symptoms in general. I also think it is hard to present every facet of a disease in the short pages of a novel. My point is that there doesn't seem to be a "one size fits all", and I encourage you to check out the site that was provided to me. There are stories, as well as links to family's stories and professional resources. I feel like the best thing to do in a situation like this is to educate ourselves, and I certainly intend to. Sammie's story touched my heart, and so now does Debbie and Rachael's.
What was the last great book that you read that got you out of a slump? And of course, we must talk if you have read this one!
January 10, 2017
The format was really fun to read but I wasn't a fan of how messy it could feel sometimes - it felt like, after the first 40%, I couldn't predict where the story was going, or it wasn't building up to where it ended. Still, I guess that's what real life is like, so in that case, it gets an A++
The one thing that got at me was Sammie's reluctance to tell people about her NPC. If they reacted badly, then that's a good sign to cut those people out of your life. If they react kindly, but not too patronisingly, then it's a solid way to learn who truly cares about you! The logic is something I can't wrap my head around, even if I know why it's such a trope in books like this. But, when am I going to read a book where the main character has a physical or mental issue and it isn't the focus of their lifestyle? *sigh*
I really liked the romance that kind of snuck up behind me in the middle there. It was unexpected, but the dynamic between the couple is one of my favourite types.
The ending though, wow. That really pumped the emotions out of me. I didn't think I was as connected to the characters until the finale, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
The one thing that got at me was Sammie's reluctance to tell people about her NPC. If they reacted badly, then that's a good sign to cut those people out of your life. If they react kindly, but not too patronisingly, then it's a solid way to learn who truly cares about you! The logic is something I can't wrap my head around, even if I know why it's such a trope in books like this. But, when am I going to read a book where the main character has a physical or mental issue and it isn't the focus of their lifestyle? *sigh*
I really liked the romance that kind of snuck up behind me in the middle there. It was unexpected, but the dynamic between the couple is one of my favourite types.
The ending though, wow. That really pumped the emotions out of me. I didn't think I was as connected to the characters until the finale, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
February 28, 2017
My full review is available on United by Pop.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
This book is formatted in journal style entries penned by the fictional Samantha McCoy. Sammie is a straight A over-achiever with a love for The Lord of the Rings and a strict schedule for how her life is going to pan out. That is until she is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that sees her memory depleted and has a 100% fatality rate.
Faced with the questions of her own mortality, Sammie must learn to accept her new fate and learn to understand that life is not measured in statistics and test results.
Sammie proved an engaging protagonist. Her diary entries allowed the reader to be privy to her innermost thoughts, which often proved emotional due to the rawness of penmanship exhibited. She sugar-coated nothing, both in her journal and in real-life, which provided some hilarious anecdotes to sweeten the poignancy. Her intensity made her the girl she was and is what allowed her to become a woman not defined by her disease.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
This book is formatted in journal style entries penned by the fictional Samantha McCoy. Sammie is a straight A over-achiever with a love for The Lord of the Rings and a strict schedule for how her life is going to pan out. That is until she is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that sees her memory depleted and has a 100% fatality rate.
Faced with the questions of her own mortality, Sammie must learn to accept her new fate and learn to understand that life is not measured in statistics and test results.
Sammie proved an engaging protagonist. Her diary entries allowed the reader to be privy to her innermost thoughts, which often proved emotional due to the rawness of penmanship exhibited. She sugar-coated nothing, both in her journal and in real-life, which provided some hilarious anecdotes to sweeten the poignancy. Her intensity made her the girl she was and is what allowed her to become a woman not defined by her disease.
February 3, 2019
I honestly did not know what to expect when I went into this book. I was sent a copy by the publisher, unsolicited, and a quick check online made me give it a chance, and let me tell you, I'm so glad that I did! The Memory Book follows Samantha, who had her life all planned out, until she discovers that she has a rare medical condition that will limit her life. Her condition, Niemann-Pick Type C, is a disease that affects memory and gradually shuts down the body. So, she needs a new plan. Knowing that life will never be the same again, she creates the Memory Book, where she jots down anything that she wants to remember in the future - no matter how big or small it is. As the days, months, years, progress, Sammie slowly starts to deteriorate, but so much happens, and she learns so much about herself, that she is still able to tell us about it all, in her own words.
I loved Sammie - she was so relatable, and funny, and even with this dark shadow hanging over her, she still lives her life to the fullest. From the get go, she is a planner - initially planning to be valedictorian and go off to college - and when her first plan doesn't pan out, she just amends it to fit her new plan. Because of the way that the story is written, as if it's Sammie's journal, we see even more of her than we would normally do. She pours out her heart and soul, and all of her worries, into her diary entries, and it honestly felt like we were in her shoes for most of the book. Nothing about what she was going through was sugar coated, and it was emotional raw reading at times. However, that doesn't mean everything about book was sad or upsetting.
One thing I really appreciated in this book was how present Sammie's family was in the story. In most of the YA books recently, parents are barely there, if at all, but that really wasn't the case here. Obviously with how debilitating Sammie's condition would become, the family wanted to spend time with her doing things as memories - and not just for her Memory Book, but for them all to appreciate. The family had always been an important part to Sammie's life, but now, when it's really important for her especially to try and do things as she normally would, they worked with her every step of the way. Romance isn't really a huge part to the book, but there is some in there. It was cute when I was reading them, but I cared more about Sammie herself, or her familial relationships, that I didn't really get invested in anything romantic.
Overall, this was such a good book, and I'm really glad I gave it a go. It stuck with me so long after finishing, and if I was in Sammie's situation, I honestly don't know what I would've done. Definitely a book I'd recommend to everyone!
I loved Sammie - she was so relatable, and funny, and even with this dark shadow hanging over her, she still lives her life to the fullest. From the get go, she is a planner - initially planning to be valedictorian and go off to college - and when her first plan doesn't pan out, she just amends it to fit her new plan. Because of the way that the story is written, as if it's Sammie's journal, we see even more of her than we would normally do. She pours out her heart and soul, and all of her worries, into her diary entries, and it honestly felt like we were in her shoes for most of the book. Nothing about what she was going through was sugar coated, and it was emotional raw reading at times. However, that doesn't mean everything about book was sad or upsetting.
One thing I really appreciated in this book was how present Sammie's family was in the story. In most of the YA books recently, parents are barely there, if at all, but that really wasn't the case here. Obviously with how debilitating Sammie's condition would become, the family wanted to spend time with her doing things as memories - and not just for her Memory Book, but for them all to appreciate. The family had always been an important part to Sammie's life, but now, when it's really important for her especially to try and do things as she normally would, they worked with her every step of the way. Romance isn't really a huge part to the book, but there is some in there. It was cute when I was reading them, but I cared more about Sammie herself, or her familial relationships, that I didn't really get invested in anything romantic.
Overall, this was such a good book, and I'm really glad I gave it a go. It stuck with me so long after finishing, and if I was in Sammie's situation, I honestly don't know what I would've done. Definitely a book I'd recommend to everyone!
October 8, 2016
Un 4,5 en realidad.
Desde un primer momento supe que esta novela me iba a gustar y no me equivocaba nada de nada, ha sido una lectura preciosa que me ha aportado mucho más de lo que me esperaba.
Es original el modo en el que está narrado, pues es un libro que la protagonista se escribe a sí misma para no olvidar nada en sus peores momentos y podemos ver cómo se dirige a la futura Sam en más de una ocasión o como se da consejos, somos un espectador con privilegios, un observador de memorias, vivencias y experiencias que no nos pertenecen pero se nos regala de una manera cercana y única, tanto que te llega a lo más hondo del corazón todo lo que va pasando Samantha. Y otra cosa que me ha sorprendido es la delicadeza en la pluma de Lara Avery, a pesar de ser una historia con el eje de la enfermedad mental no se centra solo en ello y todo lo que cuenta lo hace con un lenguaje cotidiano, una naturalidad pasmosa y de vez en cuando un toque de humor que me ha encantado y le aporta ligereza a lo demás.
Reseña completa: http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com....
Desde un primer momento supe que esta novela me iba a gustar y no me equivocaba nada de nada, ha sido una lectura preciosa que me ha aportado mucho más de lo que me esperaba.
Es original el modo en el que está narrado, pues es un libro que la protagonista se escribe a sí misma para no olvidar nada en sus peores momentos y podemos ver cómo se dirige a la futura Sam en más de una ocasión o como se da consejos, somos un espectador con privilegios, un observador de memorias, vivencias y experiencias que no nos pertenecen pero se nos regala de una manera cercana y única, tanto que te llega a lo más hondo del corazón todo lo que va pasando Samantha. Y otra cosa que me ha sorprendido es la delicadeza en la pluma de Lara Avery, a pesar de ser una historia con el eje de la enfermedad mental no se centra solo en ello y todo lo que cuenta lo hace con un lenguaje cotidiano, una naturalidad pasmosa y de vez en cuando un toque de humor que me ha encantado y le aporta ligereza a lo demás.
Reseña completa: http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com....
May 9, 2018
Actual Rating 2.5
The Memory Book has many of the required elements for a book that will tug at your heartstrings and linger long after reading.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
The Memory Book has many of the required elements for a book that will tug at your heartstrings and linger long after reading.
- Our main character has a condition which will result in the loss of her memory and eventually her life.For lovers of books like The Fault in Our Stars, this is bound to be a hit. Unfortunately there was something missing for this reader.
- Said main character with said devastating and ultimately fatal condition is a teenager who’s about to finish high school and has so many plans for her future. Plans which will never eventuate thanks to said condition.
- Recently after the diagnosis she develops a relationship with the boy she’s had a crush on for years.
- She also reconnects with the boy she used to be the best of friends with. The guy who has always thought she was awesome.
- She’s the oldest child in her family, and has some truly touching moments with her parents and siblings.
- It’s told in the form of a diary, so we get an unreliable narrator and prime seats all in one.
- She refuses to submit to her condition. She’s determined to beat it. Despite all the people telling her how bad her prognosis is. Despite signs of deterioration and lapses in memory.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
March 21, 2017
Verdomme. Mijn hart. Een tijd geleden dat een boek mij zodanig wist te raken.
May 10, 2017
Bulgarian review: https://bookishipster.wordpress.com/2...
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
I still can't realise how much i loved this book. I never expected to like it that much, for it to bring me so many emotions and for me to not want to finish it because of that. It was such a beautiful read, full with beautiful characters, stories and life lessons. I loved it. It was really, really powerful.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
I still can't realise how much i loved this book. I never expected to like it that much, for it to bring me so many emotions and for me to not want to finish it because of that. It was such a beautiful read, full with beautiful characters, stories and life lessons. I loved it. It was really, really powerful.
July 8, 2017
Mooi boek, wist me niet te laten janken maar ik snap zeker waarom het veel mensen raakt. De vorm van het boek (een dagboek) vond ik ook heel fijn om te lezen. Sammie was in het begin wat gevoelloos, maar later werd haar karakter vele malen mooier. Op 1 september bespreken de YA Boekverslinders bij Silvester Boek en Spel in Zoetermeer dit boek, sluit vooral aan, want deze leesclub is echt heel leuk! Mijn recensie kan je hier lezen:
http://nerdygeekyfanboy.com/recensie/...
http://nerdygeekyfanboy.com/recensie/...
May 14, 2017
Wauw, ik vond dit zo'n mooi boek. Het is zo verdrietig, ik denk dat ik even moet bijkomen.
February 11, 2017
Potverdriejandubbeltjes nog aan toe.. Wat een einde.
Ik ga binnenkort wel een recensie doen, maar nu even niet. Maar ik raad hem je wel alvast aan!
-edit-
Tja.. Ik kon eerlijk gezegd niet meteen een recensie schrijven omdat ik mezelf eerst even weer bij elkaar heb moeten rapen. En op het moment dat ik dacht dat ik dat gedaan had en wou beginnen met een recensie dat het boek ook echt eer aan zou doen, kwam er heel wat gedoe tussen in mijn leven. :')!
Maar nu, bijna een maand later, komt toch écht mijn recensie!
Sammie is een slim mens; ze heeft de hoogste cijfers in haar jaar, debatteert er op los en weet precies wat ze wil. Alles gaat volgens plan, ze gaan absoluut zekerste-weten de nationale debatkampioenschappen winnen en daarna gaat ze naar New York om te studeren aan de school van haar dromen. En alles ging goed! Totdat Niemann-Pick Type C bij haar word geconstateerd.
NPC doet zich voor als het verkeerde type cholesterol zich opbouwt in de lever en de mild, en zich als gevolg daarvan een blokkade ophoopt in de hersenen. Deze ophoping verstoord hersenfuncties, motorische functies, geheugen en stofwisseling. Blijkbaar had ze er al langer last van; kleine, rare tics die zij als 'typisch Sammie' beschouwde. Over vervelende verassingen gesproken..
Maar Sammie, lieve, knappe Sammie. Sammie verteld niemand over NPC zolang dat niet nodig is, gaat stug door met school en debatteren en weigert op te geven. Stoer en onafhankelijk dat ze is. Totdat ze dingen begint te vergeten en haar mentor op school moet vragen om uitstel en zo het balletje toch begint te rollen..
Sammie heeft het er wel lastig mee, hoeveel ze zelf beweert dat ze gewoon stug door zet. Je 'merkt' haar aftakeling, je voelt haar struggles en je ziet hoe graag ze gewoon door wil gaan met haar leven. Ze wil ZO graag. Ja, ze is stug en koppig en een ietwat koele kikker tegenover haar vriendinnen. Ja, ze is arrogant en heeft er alles voor over om haar doelen te bereiken. En heel persoonlijk? Ik vind dat iets geweldigs. Ze is ambitieus as fuck! En zelfs met zo'n ziekte laat ze zich niet uit het veld slaan. Holy shit.
Dit boek, Sammies geheugenboek, kun je zien als een reeks brieven van Sammie aan Sammie. Voor de Sammie die zich niet meer kan herinneren wat er gisteren gebeurde. Voor de Sammie die niets meer weet over haar eigen familie en vrienden. Je ziet, je leest en je voelt mee met Sam en ik vertel je alvast; het gaat je rauw op je dak vallen.
Dit boek, echt waar, raad ik iedereen aan. Het is geen alledaags boek over een ziek persoon, onze Sammie is veel meer dan dat. En ik daag je uit dat te ondervinden!
Ik ga binnenkort wel een recensie doen, maar nu even niet. Maar ik raad hem je wel alvast aan!
-edit-
Tja.. Ik kon eerlijk gezegd niet meteen een recensie schrijven omdat ik mezelf eerst even weer bij elkaar heb moeten rapen. En op het moment dat ik dacht dat ik dat gedaan had en wou beginnen met een recensie dat het boek ook echt eer aan zou doen, kwam er heel wat gedoe tussen in mijn leven. :')!
Maar nu, bijna een maand later, komt toch écht mijn recensie!
Sammie is een slim mens; ze heeft de hoogste cijfers in haar jaar, debatteert er op los en weet precies wat ze wil. Alles gaat volgens plan, ze gaan absoluut zekerste-weten de nationale debatkampioenschappen winnen en daarna gaat ze naar New York om te studeren aan de school van haar dromen. En alles ging goed! Totdat Niemann-Pick Type C bij haar word geconstateerd.
NPC doet zich voor als het verkeerde type cholesterol zich opbouwt in de lever en de mild, en zich als gevolg daarvan een blokkade ophoopt in de hersenen. Deze ophoping verstoord hersenfuncties, motorische functies, geheugen en stofwisseling. Blijkbaar had ze er al langer last van; kleine, rare tics die zij als 'typisch Sammie' beschouwde. Over vervelende verassingen gesproken..
Maar Sammie, lieve, knappe Sammie. Sammie verteld niemand over NPC zolang dat niet nodig is, gaat stug door met school en debatteren en weigert op te geven. Stoer en onafhankelijk dat ze is. Totdat ze dingen begint te vergeten en haar mentor op school moet vragen om uitstel en zo het balletje toch begint te rollen..
Sammie heeft het er wel lastig mee, hoeveel ze zelf beweert dat ze gewoon stug door zet. Je 'merkt' haar aftakeling, je voelt haar struggles en je ziet hoe graag ze gewoon door wil gaan met haar leven. Ze wil ZO graag. Ja, ze is stug en koppig en een ietwat koele kikker tegenover haar vriendinnen. Ja, ze is arrogant en heeft er alles voor over om haar doelen te bereiken. En heel persoonlijk? Ik vind dat iets geweldigs. Ze is ambitieus as fuck! En zelfs met zo'n ziekte laat ze zich niet uit het veld slaan. Holy shit.
Dit boek, Sammies geheugenboek, kun je zien als een reeks brieven van Sammie aan Sammie. Voor de Sammie die zich niet meer kan herinneren wat er gisteren gebeurde. Voor de Sammie die niets meer weet over haar eigen familie en vrienden. Je ziet, je leest en je voelt mee met Sam en ik vertel je alvast; het gaat je rauw op je dak vallen.
Dit boek, echt waar, raad ik iedereen aan. Het is geen alledaags boek over een ziek persoon, onze Sammie is veel meer dan dat. En ik daag je uit dat te ondervinden!
October 14, 2016
Un 4'5 en realidad. Ha sido una novela preciosa, conmovedora, (tanto que he acabado llorando), con una narración que me ha encantado y una protagonista igual de genial. Nunca había leído nada sobre una enfermedad mental de este tipo y sinceramente me ha encantado y la he disfrutado muchísimo, por la historia, por cómo avanza poco a poco, por sus personajes. Más que recomendable.
January 4, 2017
This was a very easy and light read. If I wasn't in this reading slump I would've finished this in a day. Even though the ending is sad, its a happy sad. I didn't feel depressed at all from it. I think its cause we are all expecting it, even if we wish it never happened. I never knew such a thing as NPC existed so I'm glad I read this book. I love Cooper even if he doesn't have a 50's hairdo :')
February 7, 2017
I really loved the first quarter of the book - I feel in love with the characters and the narration style! (For once I felt like the unique format actually worked really well and genuinely enhanced the reading experience!) You knew it was building up to something, and I just wanted everyone to stay in this happy, protective bubble. But you know that's impossible because it's the whole reason Sammie's writing this book in the first place - so that she can remember everything that was important to her even when she starts losing her memory.
From the first 25% I was really excited to give this book four stars, but then things started to change in the middle. For one, Sammie became slightly more unlikeable because she was the kind of person that wanted everyone to be up front to her, but she wasn't prepared to return the favour. (AKA. She was hiding her problems from her best friend and boyfriend, and while I understand the reasoning behind this - you don't want them to treat you differently - if they do then you can just talk to them. They're not very supportive if they don't take your feelings into consideration, and it just makes me sad that some people don't trust their friends enough to continue treating them like a real person even when something drastic has happened.)
Also, the middle is much more romance focused and I started to lose interest because although Stuart was nice, Cooper's been around from the beginning of the story and it's quite obvious (because Sammie tells him so) that Sammie has feelings for Coop, and he probably returns them. So, I could never fully support Sammie and Stuart's relationship because they weren't right for each other at the time.
Cooper was a highlight of this whole thing. He's the kind of person everyone underestimates just because he's made some bad decisions in the past. I loved when Sammie and Cooper were reconnecting in the final quarter of the book, because the way the memories were reported was bittersweet and beautiful. They had so much more chemistry than Sammie and Stuart.
The ending was way too abrupt and not what I thought we were working towards. In fact the whole thing felt like it lacked a bit of direction. There's no doubting that this is a mostly character based story, and that's okay, but I kept trying to predict what where the story would go and it definitely DIDN'T end how I was expecting. I can't help feeling a little disappointed even though I was so emotional.
From the first 25% I was really excited to give this book four stars, but then things started to change in the middle. For one, Sammie became slightly more unlikeable because she was the kind of person that wanted everyone to be up front to her, but she wasn't prepared to return the favour. (AKA. She was hiding her problems from her best friend and boyfriend, and while I understand the reasoning behind this - you don't want them to treat you differently - if they do then you can just talk to them. They're not very supportive if they don't take your feelings into consideration, and it just makes me sad that some people don't trust their friends enough to continue treating them like a real person even when something drastic has happened.)
Also, the middle is much more romance focused and I started to lose interest because although Stuart was nice, Cooper's been around from the beginning of the story and it's quite obvious (because Sammie tells him so) that Sammie has feelings for Coop, and he probably returns them. So, I could never fully support Sammie and Stuart's relationship because they weren't right for each other at the time.
Cooper was a highlight of this whole thing. He's the kind of person everyone underestimates just because he's made some bad decisions in the past. I loved when Sammie and Cooper were reconnecting in the final quarter of the book, because the way the memories were reported was bittersweet and beautiful. They had so much more chemistry than Sammie and Stuart.
The ending was way too abrupt and not what I thought we were working towards. In fact the whole thing felt like it lacked a bit of direction. There's no doubting that this is a mostly character based story, and that's okay, but I kept trying to predict what where the story would go and it definitely DIDN'T end how I was expecting. I can't help feeling a little disappointed even though I was so emotional.
October 1, 2020
9.5 out of 10
Wow. Yet again I see that YA contemporary can be powerful.
It a very sad story told in the funniest way. One twist was a bit messy, but I don't mind it. The thing is, it's not that hard to make me cry, but books manage to do so not often nowadays. And I value each tear!)
This book has a bunch of awesome characters. Modern literature loves to present antiheroes and antagonists of all sorts. To reveal dark sides of human nature. This story is 180C from it. It's about the best we do have in us. Each character is a little sun that warms the reader's heart.
PS. Russian cover sucks, I mean, the MC has curly hair. So who did you portrayed, guys?
September 10, 2017
Oh wat een eind 😭 ik moet even bijkomen jongens.
February 6, 2017
Wow. My heart is simultaneously full and empty.
Sammie has Niemann–Pick type C, which presents itself with an array of symptoms, including the focus of The Memory Book, progressive dementia. To commemorate her life, Sammie creates a written collection of memories addressed to her future self. It's not a fluid story, but more like fragments of the good and bad, and something about that felt so real.
It's easy to connect to Sammie. From beginning to end, it felt like you, as the reader, are her, the future Sammie. It's such agony to read about the balance between wanting to remain realistic of the outcome of the disease and still wanting her to live life as originally planned.
Her family was wonderful. They are so present and supportive. Not only does The Memory Book show the struggle of living with Niemann–Pick type C, but also the lasting effects it leaves on loved ones. It highlighted the sadness, but also the anger with how unfair this disease is.
There's two love interests, and really, that's the only issue I had. The story didn't need both. I favoured Cooper, only because there's something about the childhood friend trope that I love, but either Stuart or Cooper would have left a lasting impression. They're both positive lights in Sammie's life.
Be prepared for tears.
Sammie has Niemann–Pick type C, which presents itself with an array of symptoms, including the focus of The Memory Book, progressive dementia. To commemorate her life, Sammie creates a written collection of memories addressed to her future self. It's not a fluid story, but more like fragments of the good and bad, and something about that felt so real.
It's easy to connect to Sammie. From beginning to end, it felt like you, as the reader, are her, the future Sammie. It's such agony to read about the balance between wanting to remain realistic of the outcome of the disease and still wanting her to live life as originally planned.
Her family was wonderful. They are so present and supportive. Not only does The Memory Book show the struggle of living with Niemann–Pick type C, but also the lasting effects it leaves on loved ones. It highlighted the sadness, but also the anger with how unfair this disease is.
There's two love interests, and really, that's the only issue I had. The story didn't need both. I favoured Cooper, only because there's something about the childhood friend trope that I love, but either Stuart or Cooper would have left a lasting impression. They're both positive lights in Sammie's life.
Be prepared for tears.
July 31, 2016
"I'm glad I'm writing the good and the bad. I'm glad I didn't delete anything. If you can only remember your aspirations, you will have no idea how you got from point A to point B."
What a tough but very good read. About something I'd never heard of - Niemann-Pick Type C (or NPC). And the journey through Sammie's life as her goal driven self comes to the realization that she has a disease - will leave you shaken. A powerful story and one I'm glad I read.
What a tough but very good read. About something I'd never heard of - Niemann-Pick Type C (or NPC). And the journey through Sammie's life as her goal driven self comes to the realization that she has a disease - will leave you shaken. A powerful story and one I'm glad I read.
December 17, 2016
this was such a beautiful book. it was a sad book -- we're talking about memory loss, but it was done in such a way that it still felt a little hopeful. the writing was gorgeous, the cover is gorgeous, and I love how the book was set up. it all worked so perfectly, and I didn't put it down once I started reading.
there was also a character who was a writer and I related to some of his writer woes so that made me ridiculously happy. :P
there was also a character who was a writer and I related to some of his writer woes so that made me ridiculously happy. :P
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,680 reviews